Poland’s president addresses far right at independence march

More than 2 hundred,000 humans are expected to have taken part in an arguable independence-day march via vital Warsaw on Sunday, after an ultimate-minute agreement become struck among senior politicians and the occasion’s some distance-proper organisers.

The March of Independence, organised by means of nationalist and some distance-proper corporations and held annually within the Polish capital on 11 November to commemorate the anniversary of the re-status quo of u . S .’s independence in 1918, has grown dramatically in scale over the past decade, attracting activists from across Europe.

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Last yr’s occasion, which attracted a predicted 60,000 people, obtained global condemnation for the presence of racist and xenophobic banners and slogans and violence directed at counterprotesters.

There turned into sizable concern in Poland that the march could overshadow legitimate commemorations of the centenary of the united states of America’s rebirth as an independent nation on the cease of the first global warfare. Preparations had been thrown into chaos on Wednesday after Warsaw’s outgoing mayor, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, announced she was banning the march because of issues surrounding security and “aggressive nationalism”.

Hours after Gronkiewicz-Waltz’s announcement Andrzej Duda, Poland’s rightwing president, announced the Polish nation could be organising its personal march at the same time and alongside the same direction as the nationalist march. But it was unclear what would manifest if a court overturned the mayor’s ban, which it did on Thursday evening.

Warsaw march.
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More than two hundred,000 people are predicted to have taken component in an arguable independence-day march through important Warsaw on Sunday. Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty
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That caused frantic negotiations among the Polish government and nationalise companies, ensuing in an agreement in which participants within the state-sanctioned section of the event might march first, followed intently behind with the aid of participants within the nationalist march, separated by a cordon of navy police.

Lining up in parallel columns, Polish infantrymen stood facet-through-side with members of the National-Radical Camp (ONR), the successor to a pre-warfare Polish fascist motion, and representatives of Forza Nuova, an Italian neo-fascist motion, as they have been addressed with the aid of Duda on the march’s inauguration.

“I need us to stroll below our white-and-pink banners collectively and in an air of pleasure. To supply honour to folks that fought for Poland, and to be glad that it’s far unfastened, sovereign and impartial,” Duda said, earlier than main the crowd in chants of “glory and praise to the heroes” and a rendition of the countrywide anthem.

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Dwarfing previous iterations of the march in phrases of size, this yr’s event seemed to function a long way fewer brazenly racist banners and logos than a remaining year, even though white supremacist symbols including the Celtic cross were the gift, and some media shops stated instances of racist chanting.

The long way-right All-Polish Youth, a co-organiser of the march, published a video of an EU flag being set on the hearth on the march, as some human beings chanted “down with the European Union.”

Poland’s political divisions have been additionally on the show, as police in rebel gear separated marchers from counter-demonstrators collected underneath a huge banner analyzing “Constitution”. Some marchers threw objects and fireworks, making obscene gestures and labelling their opponent’s prostitutes and communists.

Many of those marching sought to distance themselves from any controversy, pronouncing they actually needed to celebrate their country’s independence.

“I just need to celebrate the 100th anniversary. To see a lot of these Polish flags, it’s a stunning view. I am now not involved in politics, I am no longer concerned within the war among politicians,” said Piotr, a biotechnologist from Kraków who became attending the march for the primary time. “The environment is excellent – except for multiple groups whose slogans are not OK.”